2014 National Convening Skills Presenations Portland Plan | Page 90

THE PORTLAND PLAN
Healthy Connected City

Element 2

Vibrant Neighborhood Centers
Neighborhood centers are
places with concentrations
of businesses and services,
housing, gathering
places and greenspaces
that provide residents
with options to live a
healthy, active lifestyle. In
neighborhood centers,
getting around by walking,
biking or wheelchair is safe,
attractive and convenient;
and access to high-quality
transit and protected
bikeways make it easy to get
to the rest of the city and
region.
When services and other destinations are clustered in compact areas,
economic viability is strengthened, and walking, transit and bicycling
become more practical. As a result, other elements of a complete community
are supported and more Portlanders will have easier access to centers of
community life and activity, and they will serve as anchors for 20-minute
living.
Portland’s existing mixed-use centers include such places as Hollywood,
Hillsdale and Lents.
The strategy will identify additional locations on Portland’s 157 miles of
main streets and more than 30-light rail station areas that have potential to
become successful centers. The strategy will guide the growth of the city
over the next 25 years to strengthen these existing and emerging centers in
ways that provide equitable access to services, reflect the distinct character
and history of the neighborhoods where they are located, and support
community cohesiveness and resiliency.
In the past, Portland has primarily used zoning that promotes a compact
mix of commercial uses and housing to cultivate places with a sufficient
mix of uses and services. However, zoning alone has not been successful
in producing these results evenly across the city. The Healthy Connected
City strategy introduces a broader range of tools, including community
partnerships and investments.
Neighborhood centers include:

„„ Neighborhood businesses and services
„„ Quality, affordable housing
„„ Healthy and affordable food
„„ Active transportation — walking, biking and transit

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Guiding Policies
Support strong, vibrant and
complete neighborhood centers
H-12 through land use, community
economic development, and
housing, infrastructure and
technology investments.
Prioritize the placement
of community services in
H-13 neighborhood centers — such as
health clinics, day care centers, senior
centers, libraries and educational
facilities.
Design and program schools as
community gathering places that
H-14 have additional community services
such as health clinics, recreational
facilities, civic spaces, day care and
libraries.
Expand access to healthy, affordable
food by supporting the viability
H-15 of grocery stores, local markets
and community gardens in
neighborhood centers.
Encourage development of highquality, well designed housing in
H-16 and around neighborhood centers
and near transit — at a variety of
sizes and cost ranges.
Promote and provide affordable
housing options accessible to
H-17 older adults and mobility-limited
individuals in places where close
proximity to services and transit
makes it easier to live independently.
Link neighborhood centers to each
other, employment areas, the Central
H-18 City and the broader region through
a multi-modal transit system.
Prioritize safe and attractive frequent
transit service, bikeways and
accessible pedestrian connections,
including sidewalks.

April 2012 | www.pdxplan.com